Director of Estates Candidate Pack
BACKGROUND
The University of Law is one of the UK’s longest established specialist providers of legal education. The University can trace its origins to 1876 with the formation of the leading tutorial firm Gibson & Weldon and later on, with the establishment of The Law Society School of Law. In 1962 the two were amalgamated to establish The College of Law. The University was the first ever independent institution to be granted degree awarding powers, gaining university title (The University of Law) in 2012. The University was bought by Global University Systems (GUS) in 2015, and is a private University. The University has more than 10,000 students, and employs circa 800 staff and a number of visiting lecturers. The University of Law’s estate covers 14 locations across the UK and Hong Kong comprising of nine distinct campuses in eight UK cites, with a GIA of over 60,000sqm and a further four satellite operations based within other University campuses across England. The University is also expanding abroad, recently having opened a campus in Hong Kong and currently exploring options for a campus in Amsterdam. The Estate operates with a working budget of £3.5m, with a further £2m for planned projects (excluding major projects such as new campuses).
VISION, CORPORATE PLAN & STRATEGY
The physical estate supports key focus areas of the University of Law’s Vision:
• Provide a high quality student experience • Deliver in the most efficient manner possible
The physical estate is an important element to delivering the University’s Strategic Plan. In particular the Estate supports the following key areas of the Strategic Plan:
Student Experience
Portfolio Expansion
Student Experience
Financial Performance & Efficiency
• Work collaboratively with the student body, being responsive to student needs and feedback
People
Portfolio Expansion
Infrastructure & Services
• Respond to the changing physical teaching environment, and to new specialised course delivery requirements (including crime scenes for Policing courses and court rooms for Bar courses)
Campuses & Partnerships
International
Financial Performance & Efficiency
Compliance
• Focus on efficient use of space • Explore opportunities for economies of scale and shared services with GUS Group • Continue to invest in the student experience, its people and facilities • Continue to deliver high quality services in a cost-effective way • Use resources in an efficient and responsible manner • Lead on health and safety, maintenance and environmental compliance • Support the development of colleagues to enable the delivery of an even higher quality service • Recognise and reward strong performance Infrastructure & Services • Develop effective processes and systems to support operations People
Campuses & Partnerships
• Deliver high quality student focused teaching and learning in state of the art facilities – including campus relocations and lease renewals • Explore opportunities for further UK partnership arrangements with other universities
International
• Establish a new ULaw campus in Hong Kong • Explore opportunities for new international campuses
Compliance
• Meet the highest quality assurance standards – supporting the University with meeting educational standards
CAMPUSES
1. Birmingham
2. Bristol
3. Chester
4. Guildford Campus
5. Leeds Campus
6. London Bloomsbury Campus
7. London Moorgate Campus
8. Manchester Campus
9. Nottingham Campus (new for 2019)
10. The University of Law at UEA in Norwich (new for 2019)
11. The University of Law in Exeter
12. The University of Law in Liverpool
All of our campuses are in thriving commercial areas and offer the same fully-resourced facilities, including well equipped IT suites with PCs for DVD and i-Tutorials, comprehensive law libraries with all the latest legal texts, quiet study areas and places to relax. In fact, our libraries won the LexisLibrary Award for ‘Best Legal Information Service (Commercial Sector)’ 2013, which recognises the excellence of our Library Information Officers across our nine centres in supporting students with their legal research.
13. The University of Law at Reading
14. Hong Kong Centre (new for 2019 )
Birmingham
Nottingham
Hong Kong
Guildford
Chester
Bristol
JOB DESCRIPTION
The University of Law has grown to now comprise of 9 campuses in the UK, 4 satellite campuses and an international presence in Hong Kong and Berlin delivering a suite of law and business programmes. The Director of Estates will be instrumental in supporting the University’s continued growth strategy both nationally and internationally. Main Function of Job Responsible for: • Best practice management of the Estate and Facilities functions including supplier and financial performance, project delivery and customer satisfaction, KPI reports, annual reports. • Developing, communicating and implementing Premises and Health and Safety Policies and Standards and adapting procedures to changing legislative requirements. • Leading and developing the Health and Safety culture, acting as senior responsible person and directing the Health and Safety performance and direction of the University. • Setting standards, process and procedures to effectively maintain statutory compliance across the University estate. • Ensuring practice and procedures meet University requirements for Business Continuity and that robust processes are in place for disaster recovery. • Managing and providing the strategic and technical lead on all aspects of the property portfolio, ensuring that the University complies with any lease requirements; overseeing rent reviews, service charges, and business rates. • Acting as client representative on major capital estates projects, developing the brief and acting as client project manager, delivering to time, budget and required standards. Preparing business cases and feasibility studies for board approval. • Managing the Estates and Facilities budgets in conjunction with Campus Management, including compilation of budgets, reporting and exception management. • Managing the acquisition and fit out of all new premises. • Acting as professional mentor to campus based FM/Venues staff including training, development and guidance.
Main Function of Job
Reporting to Chief Operating Officer Location Flexible with travel required to university locations
JOB DESCRIPTION
Specific Responsibilities • To support the operation of the University by managing the Estate to secure tenure, business continuity and operating service levels at optimum cost and service level. • To support the campuses by acting as a centre of excellence to support, plan and guide infrastructure/service changes to facilitate business development and the best utilisation of space. • To support the campuses through strategic management of the key maintenance and services contracts, reviewing and refining performance, managing KPI performance and developing opportunities for improvement. • Lead and manage Major Capital investment projects and programmes as client representative, including briefing, project management and campus liaison. • Develop property and project feasibility studies for board approval. • Develop plans, budgets and procurement/ delivery methodology to support planned life cycle replacement/major maintenance in the Estate. • Use contract management techniques and processes to manage service and budgets to ensure service delivery to specification, and to identify and deliver improvement opportunities. • Manage rent, rates and service charge issues and act as the informed agent, maintaining a close and compliant relationship with Landlords/Tenants and advising the university on best practice and opportunities. • To act as the University lead on Health and Safety, developing policy, procedures and process. Continually review performance and identify improvement opportunities. • To act as the University lead on the environment, maintain compliance, and contribute to energy reduction measures and reduction of carbon footprint and minimise the University’s impact on the environment. • Work with Head of Procurement to analyse and review current contracts, identify improvement opportunities, and tender major services and works contracts. • Work with University Directors to analyse and review business and development opportunities and offer strand specific Estates/ FM advice to support these initiatives.
Specific Responsibilities
Principle Accountabilities
Principle Accountabilities
• Manage all devolved budgets and support technically the management of campus-based budgets. • Maintain and improve the Health and Safety performance, Statutory Compliance and Environmental performance across the Estate. • Deliver infrastructure projects to time, cost and quality parameters. • Strategically plan and deliver the Capex and Revenue investment programmes for the Estate. • Manage maintenance and services contracts at a strategic level. • Act as the professional mentor and technical lead for the FM/Venues teams in the campuses. • Forward scan for legislative change affecting the Estate, advise and recommend measures, benchmark best practice in FM/Estates and recommend change to improve the way we manage the Estate.
In addition to the responsibilities listed above, the job holder may be required to perform other duties as assigned by members of the Executive Board from time to time.
The job holder has a duty to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other persons with whom they come into contact at work. The job holder also has a duty to co-operate with the University in complying with any statutory duty or requirement concerning health and safety at work. In particular, they must familiarise themselves with the Health and Safety Policy and its safety and fire procedures.
PERSON SPECIFICATIONS
Training & Education Essential • Educated to degree level • Recognised Technical qualifications (RICS, Engineering, Facilities, Architecture) • General NEBOSH/IOSH Desirable • CDM • H+S specific (e.g. L8, Asbestos) • Project Management Experience Essential • Substantial lead management experience managing a large and diverse estate across all FM/Estates service functions • Experience of Project and Programme Delivery large and small • Experience of managing service levels, leading contract negotiations and contract change • Track record of building and managing relationships in a multiple and complex stakeholder environment and influencing senior operational management • Extensive “hands on experience” in a similar role • Track record of managing estates in a multi-site environment • Demonstrable record of strong estate and FM service delivery management and continual improvement Desirable • Experience of leading and mobilising FM Contracts • Experience of working in an academic/educational environment Skills & Knowledge Essential • Contract management skills to ensure value for money and rigorous management of liability and risk • The ability to effectively communicate complex technical and commercial issues across all disciplines within the organisation • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills • Strong leadership and influencing skills • Skilled in programme, people and change management • Strong analytical skills and sound judgement
Training & Education
Experience
Skills & Knowledge
• Proficient negotiation skills • Project management skills and implementation capability • Legal awareness of Statutory, Health and Safety and contract risks and experience of drafting policies, procedure and process • Be conversant with formal and informal dispute resolution processes
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Behavioural Skills Essential • Hardworking, focused, energetic and emotionally resilient to deliver in this highly challenging, high profile role • A ‘hands on’ person capable of hitting the ground running to effect progress and able to make decisions and direct strategically without recourse to line management • The ability to work efficiently and effectively in a challenging and fast moving environment as a standalone manager
Behavioural Skills
Special Circumstances
Special Circumstances Essential
• High degree of commitment to the requirements of the job • Flexibility in approach to the role and its requirements • Flexibility to travel as needed to different ULaw or associated campuses (may involve overnight stays and overseas travel)
Application Process
The University is being supported on this recruitment campaign by the search consultancy The Management Recruitment Group (MRG) .
To arrange a briefing conversation please contact our advisors Michael Hewlett and Ben Duffill of MRG on 020 8892 0115 or at michael.hewlett@mrgpeople.co.uk or ben.duffill@mrgpeople.co.uk.
Applications should consist of a comprehensive CV and covering letter.
Applications should be sent to michael.hewlett@mrgpeople.co.uk .
The closing date for applications is Sunday 17th November 2019 at 17.00 GMT
MRG will undertake preliminary interviews with selected candidates during the week commencing Monday 18th November 2019 .
Selection interviews will take place at The University of Law week commencing Monday 25th November 2019.
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